Bar staff arrested after Tsim Sha Tsui death
HK01 · 6 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Police are investigating a suspicious death in Tsim Sha Tsui after a 48-year-old man surnamed Lai was found unconscious on a bench near Hanoi Road at about 1:38am on September 24 and was certified dead at the scene. Multiple outlets reported that he had earlier collapsed inside a seventh-floor bar at 25-31 Granville Road and was then moved downstairs while seated on a chair or bench. Officers who later entered the bar found suspected drug-taking paraphernalia, including a suspected meth pipe, and bloodstains in the toilet, while reports said the dead man had shown signs consistent with having been dead for some time. Police are investigating the exact cause and time of death, and whether the man died after taking or injecting drugs in the bar toilet.
Key Points
- Police received a report at 1:38am on September 24 that a man was unconscious on a bench outside Hanoi Road in Tsim Sha Tsui, and paramedics confirmed he was dead.
- The deceased was identified by reports as 48-year-old Lai, while earlier descriptions had put his age at about 40.
- Investigators said a 28-year-old bar staff member surnamed Ng first gave a false account, then admitted the man had collapsed in the bar toilet.
- Reports said the staff member moved the man downstairs with a woman, left him across the street, and then called police while pretending to be a passer-by.
- Police found suspected drug tools including a suspected meth pipe, plus suspected bloodstains in the toilet; one staff member was arrested or detained for further investigation.
Why It Matters
The latest reporting shifts the case beyond a sudden death inquiry to possible offences linked to the handling of the body and the accuracy of the initial account given to police. For Hong Kong readers, the case also raises concerns about suspected drug use in nightlife venues and how staff respond when a medical emergency turns into a potential crime scene.